GIRARD SCHOOLS District expansion gets funds

The difficulty in disbursement arose because most of the work and improvements are already done. GIRARD -- The school district will get $2.45 million from the Ohio Schools Facilities Commission to help fund a proposed expansion of Prospect Elementary School and cover costs of Girard Intermediate School construction. Superintendent Joseph Shoaf said he and school district attorney Bruce Zaccagnini met with OSFC officials and agreed to the disbursement. "I am very pleased that ... the children of our district will have better schools as a result," Shoaf said. "I am also encouraged by this and look forward to continuing to work with the OSFC to bring more money to Girard." Shoaf said the district applied for the money in March 1999 and the application was approved, but OSFC and the school district couldn't agree on the terms of disbursement. The reason: The difficulty stemmed from the fact that most of the work and improvements included in the district's application was already done. "After a thorough review of the matter, our attorneys were able to negotiate a resolution of the differences with the OSFC ,which will result in the district receiving a total of $2,454,432, which is 100 percent of the funds previously promised to the district," Shoaf said. Under the agreement reached this week, the district will provide the facilities commission with the required documents by March 15 and OSFC will disburse the money in early April. "Our district will continue to fight to bring tax dollars back to Girard from Columbus and will use these funds to make the citizens of Girard proud of their schools," said Jamie DeVore, school board president. OSFC will keep $454,432, which will be paid out to the school district as progress continues on the project. OSFC money is designated for facilities improvements. State law prohibits the money being used for general operating costs, salaries, utilities or purposes other than construction and renovation.